There's a good chance you remember where you were on May 18, 1980 at 8:32 a.m.

Following two months of earthquakes and seismic activity, Mount St. Helens blew her top. Ash shot up 80,000 feet into the air. Lava and blasted rock destroyed just about everything within a 19-mile radius.

By the time the eruption ended, 57 people were killed and $1 billion in damage was done to the landscape and infrastructure around the volcano.

Before the blast, Mount St. Helens was the fifth highest peak in Washington state. After blowing her top, her status dropped to 30th highest peak.

The eruption began with an earthquake under the mountain. That caused a landslide, which sent rock, snow and ice plowing down the volcano at speeds topping 200 mph. Forests were mowed down. An avalanche piled up as deep a 600 feet in some areas.

Meanwhile, hot ash shot up into the sky, reaching 15 miles above the peak of Mount St. Helens in 15 minutes. Up to 10 inches of ash fell in nearby areas, but a half-inch was recorded in areas over 300 miles away. Flecks of ash reached areas like Minnesota and New Mexico, and continued to circle the globe for two weeks.

Hot ash was recorded by infrared weather satellites as it reached the upper levels of the troposphere and moved eastward.

The May 18, 1980 eruption of #mtsthelens really shows up on infrared satellite imagery as the hot ash plume reached the upper levels of the troposphere and continued eastward on prevailing westerly winds aloft. #wawxpic.twitter.com/0Lz4BODvf2

Layered lava flows poured out for several minutes. Earthquakes and smaller eruptions continued for days. Rescue operations were dangerous. Houses and bridges were destroyed, along with 185 miles of highway.

Though devastating, the eruption of 1980 was not the first, and it wasn't completely unforeseen. Records suggest an eruption occurred at Mount St. Helens around the year 1800. Then, in 1968, scientists warned Mount St. Helens could erupt again at any moment. They continued to monitor the volcano for 12 more years.

On March 27, 1980, a small crater opened following an explosion of steam. Rising magma created a bulge on St. Helens' side. Eventually, that bulge stuck out more than 300 feet. The earthquake on May 18 triggered its explosion.

Today, Mount St. Helens is the only volcano in Washington that has what experts describe as a "sufficient" amount of monitoring equipment. Twenty-five monitors and 20 GPS stations are working within 12 miles of the volcano, in addition to webcams and other instruments able to detect sound waves or monitor gas.

It was also listed as one of the 18 most threatening volcanoes in the country by the U.S. Geological Survey in its annual volcano threat assessment most recently updated in 2018. Three others are also located in Washington state: Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and Glacier Peak.

The impact of the Mount St. Helens eruption 39 years ago was still visible in the surrounding areas. Signs of life returning are present, but landscapes near the volcano remain barren. To see photos of the eruption and aftermath, click through the slideshow above.